Thousands of people marched through the streets of Mexico City on Saturday, but the visuals featured an unusual sight as demonstrators were seen carrying manga-themed flags, including one depicting a skull wearing a straw hat.
Even though the use of a cartoon flag to show resistance may come out as a bizarre idea, for the Gen Z protestors who filled the streets of Mexico, the gesture was packed with some deep sentiments.
Popular characters and symbols are often used by protesters to convey a shared cause or value system, just how the ‘pirate skull flag’ became a symbol of GenZ protests across the world, Al Jazeera reported.
This event comes shortly after protests in Nepal by Gen Z demonstrators who brought down a government in under 48 hours. The protests were sparked by a social media ban announced by the government in September of this year.
Why are they protesting?
The GenZ took to the streets of Mexico to voice their anger against growing crime, corruption and impunity in the country. Another major reason is drug violence, which claims tens of thousands of Mexican lives each year, said The Guardian.
During the protests, a small group of hooded protesters tore down fences around the National Palace where President Claudia Sheinbaum lives, prompting a clash with riot police who ended up deploying tear gas, according to Al Jazeera.
Mexico City’s public safety secretary, Pablo Vazquez, said in a news conference that as a result of the clashes, 100 police officers were injured, including 40 who were admitted to the hospital for treatment.
The clashes also affected civilians, as around 20 people have been injured, Vazquez told local media outlet Milenio.
The public safety secretary also said 20 people were arrested and another 20 “referred for administrative offences,” as per Al Jazeera.
What is ‘One Piece’?
The “pirate skull flag”, which was seen in the protests, originates from a popular 1997 Japanese manga series, One Piece, by Eiichiro Oda. The series tells the story of the charming pirate captain, Monkey D. Luffy, and his misfit “Straw Hat” crew.
The flag may seem ordinary or abrupt for others, but specifically for the manga’s fans, it is a symbol of Luffy’s quest to chase his dreams, liberate oppressed people, and fight the autocratic World Government. He is viewed as a fearless and determined character by the fans, with a few tricks up his sleeve to fight his opponents, including the ability to avoid capture with a rubber body that stretches, bounces, and bends.
In Asia, the flag gained popularity as a way of expressing one’s political views and defiance during protests in Indonesia, the Philippines and Nepal. Besides these countries, the character could also be seen in flags carried by people on the streets of Paris, as per CNN.
Mexico City, Gen Z protests, One Piece, drug violence, cartoon flag
#Manga #character #Piece #symbol #resistance #Mexico #GenZ #leads #protest